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The Department of Water Environment Protection charges a fee called the sanitary sewer unit charge to properties in the Consolidated Sanitary District (CSD) that are connected to the public sewer system. WEP's sewer unit charge covers costs related to the operation and maintenance of the County owned/leased sewer infrastructure. Local municipalities may charge additional fees for the operation and maintenance of their local sewer systems. WEP's sanitary sewer unit charge appears on Onondaga County Real Property Tax bills. The Onondaga County Administrative Code Section 11.79 and Resolution 563-1987 establishes how properties are assessed a sanitary sewer unit charge, based on property type. One sewer unit is equal to 100,000 gallons of water for the 2025 tax year.
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Tax-Exempt Properties
Make Payment on Sewer Unit Bill
(Not for tax bill payments)
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| Property Type |
Sanitary Sewer Units Charged |
| Residential, Single-Family |
Assessed one unit |
| Residential, Multi-Family |
Assessed ¾ unit per residence |
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Assessed units based on the property’s water consumption, or 1 unit per commercial space, whichever is greater with a minimum of 1 unit |
(Commercial with
Residential)
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Assessed units based on water consumption or the total of 1 unit per commercial space plus ¾ unit per residence, whichever is greater with a minimum of 1¾ units |
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| Frequently Asked Questions |
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| Why did my bill increase? |
There may be several reasons for a bill increase.
• The number of gallons per sewer unit has decreased from 105,000 in 2024 to 100,000 for 2025.
• Water consumption has increased.
• Tax parcels may have historically been underbilled. |
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How is water consumption calculated?
WEP receives select water account information (owner name, property address, meter readings) from the Onondaga County Water Authority, Town of Clay Uniform Water District, Village of Baldwinsville Water Department, and the Town of Dewitt Water Department. WEP ties that water account information to the Onondaga County Real Property Tax ID using the property's address. Units are calculated by taking the sum of the property's water consumption in gallons and dividing by the number of gallons per sewer unit. (Current gallons per sewer unit = 100,000) |
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| What if my apartments are vacant? |
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| All properties are charged a minimum fee because sewer service is always available. |
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| I no longer have apartments in my building. What can I do? |
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| Contact your local assessor to ensure that your property is correctly assessed. |
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| I am on septic. Will I still be charged? |
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| Properties using private septic systems aren't billed. If a septic system fails and sewer service is available, hookup becomes mandatory per public health codes. |
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| Further Questions? |
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| Contact Us |
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